Extra 10 minutes to avoid parking fines
Fines will be cut to £20 in sweeping changes to outlaw aggressive tactics by ‘rogue parking firms’
Motorists facing heavy fines from private parking firms will be handed a 10-minute grace period under government plans. Robert Jenrick, the Communities Secretary, announced measures to “restore common sense” to private car park fines. A parking code will see many fines reduced to £20 or quashed for “innocent errors” such as entering incorrect vehicle details. The reforms will also allow drivers to run 10 minutes over their allotted stay before they can be fined.
MOTORISTS facing heavy fines from private parking firms will be handed a 10-minute grace period under government plans to reign in unfair penalties.
Robert Jenrick, the Communities Secretary, said he wanted to put a stop to “rogue parking firms using aggressive tactics” as he announced a series of measures to “restore common sense” to private car park fines. Today ministers will unveil a new parking code that will see many fines reduced to £20 or completely for “genuine innocent errors” such as entering incorrect vehicle details, as well as requiring operators to outline their terms in plain English on prominent signs.
The reforms will also allow drivers to run 10 minutes over their allotted stay before they can be fined, to account for minor delays and queues at ticket machines.
The measures come after Sir Greg Knight, the Tory MP, passed a private member’s Bill last March mandating the Government draw up a single code of practice to standardise rules for private parking fines and appeals. Yesterday, Sir Greg welcomed the new code, saying he hoped it would see an end to pensioners being fined for simple errors at ticket machines or struggling to read obtuse signage.
He told The Daily Telegraph: “The whole idea is to make it fair and transparent and to stop motorists being ripped off because they have been surprised by inadequate signage or the misuse of video cameras.
“It is part of the aggro of going into a town or city centre at the moment. You are finding some local authorities are narrowing highways, widening pavements, imposing congestion charging and then on top of that you are going to be ripped off when you park – it makes you just decide to go to an out-of-town shopping centre where the parking is plentiful and free. It is an issue of fairness and that some people are making a living by ripping off motorists.”
The proposals will replace the current model of self-regulation for the private parking industry with a single code and appeals process. Under this system drivers could have their fines cut to £20 or cancelled if they have a reasonable excuse, failed to display a valid ticket properly, or made a genuine error such as entering a licence plate digit incorrectly into a ticket machine.
The code will also reduce maximum fines from £100 to between £40 and £80, depending on the type of car park, while increasing fines for parking in blue badge to ambulance bays to £120.
Motorists are also to be given a fiveminute “cooling off” period to allow them to change their mind and leave without paying a fee after entering a car park. The new code will be out for consultation from today until Oct 12.
Mr Jenrick said: “These new measures are a victory for the millions of motorists across the country.”
Will Hurley, chief executive of the International Parking Community, one of the private parking regulatory bodies, said the code was a chance to give drivers “greater clarity” around parking rules.